Fluid-indicator for refrigerator drip-pans.



P. L. VILLEMIN.

FLUID INDICATOR FOR REFRIGERATOR DRIP PANS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12. 19.14.

1,152,24. Patented A11g. 31,1915.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

PLIVZ Hem aim.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.. WASHINGTON, D- C.

P. L. VILLEMIN.

FLUID INDICATOR FOR REFRIGERATOR DRIP FANS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 12. I914.

1,15%,243'. Pdtented Aug. 31, 1915;

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

l/vitweoow COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0., WASHINGTON, D. c

PETER L. VILLEMIN, or COLUMBUS, oirro.

FLUID-INDICATOR FOR REFRIGERATOR DRIP-FANS.

Application filed September 12, 1914. Serial No. 861,441.

T 0 cl? whom it may concern 1 Be it known that 1, PETER L. VILLEMIN, a citizen. of the United States, residing at Columbus, in'the county of Franklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fluid-Indicators for Refrigerator Drip-Pans; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention comprehends certain new and useful improvements in fluid indicators and has for its primary object to provide a device of this character which will be constructed in such manner as to be especially adapted for use in connection with drip pans of refrigerators and the like to indicate the amount of fluid in said drip pan.

The invention has for another object to provide a device of this character which will be constructed in such manner that it may be readily secured to a refrigerator with the float resting in the drip pan and the rock shaft connected with the hinged apron of the refrigerator to cause movement of the rock shaft to raise the float outiof the drip pan as the apron is swung upwardly for the purpose of withdrawing and emptying the drip pan.

The invention has for a still further object to provide a device of this character which will be of extremely simple construction and operation as well as highly efficient in use and which: will include aniindicator or pointer upon the outer end of the. rock shaft and adapted for movement over an indicator plate in order that the amount of fluid in the drip pan may be ascertained without the necessity of raising the apron of the refrigerator and withdrawing the drip pan.

With the above and other objects in view as will become more apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

For a complete understanding of my invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the lower Specification of Letters Batent. Patented A11 31, 1915.

2 is a transverse horizontal section on the.

plane of line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section on the plane of line 3-3 of Fig. 1 with the apron in its lowermost or normal position, and Fig. 4: is an end elevation of the lower portions of the refrigerator, showing the pointer in position to indicate that the drip pan is full and about to overflow, the'apron of the refrigerator being shown partly raised, and indicated in'dotted lines in its uppermost position, portions of the refrigerator and drip pan also being broken away in; this View and the operative parts of the device. shown in dotted lines in their various positions.

Referring more particularly to the drawings by numerals, 1 designates in general the lower portion of the refrigerator to the bottom of which are secured a pairof depending'brackets 2, through the lower ends of which is rotatably mounted a rock shaft 3 having a pointer, or indicator arm, 4. mounted upon its outer end, outwardly of one end of the refrigerator 1 and having its point adapted for movement over the curved or arcuate indicator plate 5 secured in proper position and by suitable means to the end of the refrigerator 1 and having suitable indicating characters 6 located thereon to indicate the amount of fluid in the. drip pan 7 beneath the refrigerator 1 as the rock shaft 3 is caused to rotate in one direction and move the indicator armor pointer 4 over said indicator plate 5.

The rock shaft 3 has an arm 8 extending at right angles from its opposite end and having a float ball 9 mounted upon its free extremity and resting in the drip pan 7 and adapted to rise and fall as the amount of fluid in said dripv pan is increased or de creased and thereby rock the rock shaft 3 in the proper direction to move the pointer or indicator arm 4 over the indicator plate 5.

When the drip pan 7 is full, the float ball 9 will be resting upon the top of the fluid and the pointer or indicator arm 4 will be opposite the highest numerals at one end of the indicator plate 5 to indicate that the drip pan 7 is full and about to overflow so that the drip pan 7 may be em tied without being permitted to overflow. en

f itiis' desired to-withdraw the drip pan?- for the purpose of emptying the same of I its contents, the float ball 9 is automatically f 10 '"Theopposite end of the operating cord 10 raised from the fluid in the drip pan 7 to a position above the drip panby means of the operating cord- 10 which'has one end connected to the lower extremities 11 of the depending arm 12 of the rock shaft 3 formed by offsetting a portion of said arm downwardly, as clearly shown in Fig. 1.

is connected with the hinged depending apron 13 of the refrigerator 1 :and positioned inthe lower portion of the front of :the refrigerator or below the floor of the 7 same, as will be readily understood by those t; familiar with the construction of refrigerators', whereby upon swinging movement of the apron 13 to its uppermost position, the 'frockshaft 3 will be Gaused to rock in the proper. direction to raise the float ball 9 above'the drip pan 7 and the cord 10 will retain the rock shaft and float ball in raised position until said apron 13 is again swung downwardly to its normal position.

While the preferred embodiment of the invention isshown and described, it will be 'understoodthat minor changes in the details 'of-construction, combination and arrangement ofparts may be made without departfr om 'the spirit'and scope of the'invention as claimed or sacrificing any of the ad vantages thereof.

11 What is claimed is: w

'lf'A drip pan indicator including the icoinbination with a' refrigerator having a hinged apron thereon, of brackets secured to therefrigerator, a shaft journaled in the brackets, a float arm carried by the shaft, 'afloa't'on' said arm, means on the end of the shaft to indicate the quantity of liquid in the drip pan, an'angular extension on the shaft, and means connecting the angular I extension with theapron whereby when the Gopie'sof this patent may be obtained for extension and at its other end to the apron whereby upon lifting the apron, the float will be lifted clear of the edges of the pan for the removal of the contents of the pan.

3. In a device as set forth, a drip-pan, a crank shaft having one end bent trans versely to its shaft, a float mounted upon said bent end and operative in said pan, an angular extension formed centrally of said crank shaft, indicating means carried by said shaft, and means connected to said ex- "tension whereby said float may be lifted clear of the edge of the pan when removing the same.

, 4. In combination, a drip pan, a pair of bracket-s, a shaft 'journaled in said brackets, an angular extension formed on said shaft intermediate its end, a float arm on one end of saidshaft, a float on said arm and operativein said pan, means for indicating the quantity of liquid 111 said pan and carried by the shaft, and means connected to the angular extension for lifting the float free of the edges of said pan upon the removal of the same.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

PETER L. VILLEMTN.

\Vitnesses J. HEUssINE,

W. F. MAUnA'rH.

five centseach, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. G. 

